Google will ban coronavirus-related conspiracy theories
Google has announced an increase in the fight against disinformation about coronavirus. As part of this, advertisements that “contradict the authoritative scientific consensus” regarding the pandemic will be banned. This means that websites and apps will no longer be able to make money from ads promoting conspiracy theories in one way or another related to the coronavirus.
We are talking about theories whose authors believe that a dangerous virus was created in a Chinese laboratory, that there is no pandemic, that Bill Gates and others are behind the pandemic. According to available data, the new rule will come into force next month. Compliance will be monitored not only by Google administrators but also by special algorithms that track content published by advertisers. For numerous violations of the new rule, Google will ban the use of its advertising platform.
Recall this spring, Google announced its intention to invest $ 6.5 million in a campaign to combat misinformation about the coronavirus on the Web. Since the beginning of the pandemic, a huge number of publications have appeared on various platforms that contradict verified medical sources, so the company considered it necessary to combat inaccurate information.
It is worth noting that Google is not the only company that fights against misinformation. For example, Apple has banned any coronavirus-related apps from the App Store unless they were created by official health organizations. Facebook has launched a service that publishes verified facts about coronavirus, which helps people get reliable information. Large e-commerce platforms such as Amazon prohibit the sale of coronavirus drug products.
